Signal light



May 14, 1929. c; GREGORY 1,712,665

SIGNAL LIGHT Filed Dec. 1, 1926 J4 I I INVENTOR Jill V ATTORNEY Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENlFi. ,OFFICE;

ALBERT C. GREGORY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGNAL LIGHT.

Application filed December 1, 1926. Serial No. 152,011.

' vide an indicator in the nature of a circuit maker associated with the stem of a float of a fuel tank and movable upon the lowering of the-float to a predetermined distance into engagement with contacts that are arranged in a suitable circuit wl1ich.includes a battery and a bulb or like alarm.

To the attainment of the above broadly stated objects and others which will present themselves as the nature of the invention is better understood, the improvement resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and operative association of parts, a satisfactory embodiment of which is dis closed by the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional View through a fuel tank provided with the improvement.

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating a slight modification. 1

Figure 3 is a plan view of the circuit maker.

The improvement is primarily devised for use in connection with the fuel supply tanks for automobiles but is not to be thus necessarily restricted, as the same will be found equally as useful in other devices.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates a fuel tank. The tank has an opening in the top thereof and through this opening there is passed a tubular member 2 which has its lower portion widened and threaded, as at 3. The end of the widened portion 3 of the tube is flanged, as at 4, and on this flange there is formed, in the showing of Figure 1, an angle depending arm 5. In Figure 2 this arm is eliminated. Arranged around the threaded portion of the tube 2 and in contact with the top of the tankthere are suitable washers 6 and these washers are compressed against the tank by a nut member 7 that is screwed on the tube.

The tube 2 may be of insulating material but preferably comprises a metal member which has screwed or otherwise removably secured on its outer end a fibre or similar insulator disc 8. Passing through this disc at opposite points there are binding posts 9 to which are connected conductors 10 and 11 of a circuit that includes a battery and an alarm. The alarm, indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings is in the nature of a lamp bulb 12. The binding posts also serve as contact members.

In the showing of Figure 1 there is pivotally secured to the arm 5 of the flange end 4 of the tubular member or sleeve 2, a rod 13 that has secured on its outer end a float 14 that rests on the fuel in the tank 1. Arranged for slidable movement on the rod 13 there is a sleeve 15. Pivotally secured on the sleeve there is a stem 16 that passes through the bore of the tubular member 2. Adjustably fixed by means 17 on the stem 16 there is the hub portion 18 of a disc 19, which is preferably of insulating material. The disc, on its inner face has secured thereon a fiat metal ring 20. The disc and ring are in the nature of a circuit maker it being apparent that the float resting on the body of liquid fuel in the tank 1 will be raised when a predetermined quantity is in said tank, so that the circuit maker will be elevated above the contacts 9. The fall of the fuel will cause the float to influence the stem 16 to bring the circuit maker or switch 20 against the contact and thereby complete the circuit to illuminate the bulb 12 and thus warn the driver or. attendant that the supply end 4 of the tubular member or sleeve 2 and which limits the upward movement of the Stem 16 when the float rises. In this instance the device is not designed to serve the additional function of a level indicator for the fuel but merely to complete the circuit when the fuel in the tank falls beyond a predetermined level.

Preferably, and as disclosed by Figure 1 of the drawings I make use of a bracket 22 which serves as a washer for the member 2 and a guide for the stem 16. The bracket has an angle lower end 23 that has an opening through which passes the widened and thickened portion 3 of the tube 2, and this angle end is contacted by the nut 7 which forces the same against the washer 6. The upper angle end 24 of the bracket has an opening through which passes the stem 16.

The angle portion or flange 24 in addition to providing a guide for the stem 16 also serves as a stop for the hub 18 of the disc 19. The center or body portion of the bracket has an opening through which the conductor 10 passes.

Having described the invention, I-claim A switch comprising a float operated element adapted to be arranged within a tank, a tubular member having a threaded lower por tion received by an opening in the tank, a flange formed on the lower end of the tubular member and engaging the adjacent wall of the tank, an arm depending at 'an angle from said flan e and constituting a support upon which t e said element is pivotally mounted, a stem rising from said element and slidable through said tubular member, a stationary switch element supported by the tubular member, a movable switch element carried by said stem, a substantially U-shaped bracket, one limb of which constitutes a washer surrounding the tubular member immediately adjacent the tank, a nut threaded on the tubular member and reposing against said washer, and the other limb of said bracket having an opening through which the stem slides to guide the stem in its movements with relation to the tubular member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALBERT C. GREGORY. 

